Endless-track motor car



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5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 28

E SCHNEHER ENDLESS TRACK MOTOR CAR E. SCHNEHDER ENDLESS TRACK MOTOR CARFiled Feb. 28 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet' 2 Now., E fi923.,

5 Sheets Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 28. IQG

mm w, 1923., 94 49 E. SCHNEHDER VENDLESS TRACK MOTOR CAR Filed Fe 28.1920' 5 sheets sheet L flow., EU 1923., Lfig l E. SCHNEIDER ENDLESSTHACK MOTOR CAR Filed Feb. 28. 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet' 5 Patented Nov. 20),1923.

MWRB

arena oaatcao EUGNE SCHNEIDER, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SCENEIDERdt CIE., OF PARIS, FBANCE, A JOINT STOCK COMPANY OF FEANCE.

ENDLESS-TRACK MOTOE CAR.

Application filed February 28, 1920. Serial NO. :362,112.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 4.1 STA'E.In., 1313.)

TO all whom it 'may COYI/OGT'IH Be it known that I, EUGNE SOHNEIDER, ofParis, France, have invented new and useful Improvemlents inEndless-Track Motor Cars (for which I have filed a. plications inFrance, May 25, 1916; reat Britain, No. 125641, Sept. 28, 1916; Italy,March 26, 1917), Which invention is fully set forth in the followingSpecification.

This invention has for its object to provide .an improved constructionof motor Vehicle of the endless track type, that is to say, in which theVehicle rests by means of wheeled trucks, upon two endless jointedtracks.

These improvements are partly designed for that kind of endless trackVehicle, which comprises for each endless track, a toothed drivingWheel, journalled in the rear part of the Vehicle framing, and engagin iin the usual manner with the joint pins tween the elements of thecorresponding endless track.

The more particular object of this inven- 25 tion is to give to thesupport of the Vehicle upon its trucks, a greater suppleness than isafl'orded by the constructional means hitherto known, so that the trucksand the endless tracks as a whole may be enabled to follow more closelythe inequalities of rough ground, Without interfering With the stabilityof the. Vehicle framing.

These results are obtained by the pecnliar means of suspension of theVehicle framing upon the Wheel trucks, as well as by special means oftransverse connection of the trucks to each other, and of the trucks tothe Vehicle framing.

The manner in which this invention is to be performed will now be moreparticularly described with reference to the accompany ing drawings,which illustrate, hy way of example, various practical forms ofconstruction and application of this invention.

In these drawings:

Figs. 1 and 3 show the invention applied to an endless track Vehiclehaving a single truck for each track.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a plan, the endless tracks proper having been removed. v

Fig 3 is a cro section on the line IH III of F ig. 1, the upper stretchof the endless track having been removed.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are respectively an elevation, a plan and a section onthe line VI-VI of F igs. 4: and 5, showing the invention applied to aVehicle wherein the endless track are each provided With .two supportingtrucks coupled together.

The Vehicle framing, which may be of any suitable constructions,comprises, in the example shown, two longi tudinals A connected atseveral points by cross ties B. The entire structure is fixed to a gearbox C serving to drive the two toothed Wheels D which propel the Vehiclein the usual manner by engaging with the' stay pins E of the links F ofthe jointed endless track. Upon these endless tracks there are supportedby means of their' rollers g, the trucks G consisting of one body (Figs.1 to 3) or of two bodies jointed to each' other (Figs. 4 to 6).

According to the invention, the suspension is effected with the objectof allowing the rear portions of the trucks G close to -the drivingWheels D, to make only slght movements relatively to the Vehicleframing, whilst the forward portions of the said trucks are allowedgreat freedom of movement in. its longitudinal aXial plane.

The former result is achieved by arranging two rear springa H of smallflexibility, located respectively in the longitudinal axial plane oftheright and left hand trucks,

directly between a lateral projection of the Vehicle framing and thetruck G; these rear Springs situated flash with the trucks are combinedwith an indirect forward bearin This bearing is constituted by twoSprings 'located nearer to the longitudinal axis of the Vehicle, andsituated between the Vehicle framing and an intermediate rocking crossbeam which rests upon the trucks by means of spherical bearings, theSprings K thus providing a resilient universal connection between themain frame and the cross-beem. In the example shown, the sphericalbearings J are fixed to the trucks G, and they fit in recesses Orspherical steps formed in .the rocking cross beam I, thereby forming'ball and socket joints between the ends of the cross-beam and thetrucks.

It will be easily perceived that the trucks G are able to executeconsiderab le relative angular movements, appreciably about horizontalaxes situated in the common transverse axial plane of the two rearSprings H.

F ig. 3 shows how, without interferi-ng' 'Vehicle framing, Only OneConnecting rod M is required, which Connects at g one of the trucks G(that one which is in the upper part of the plan, Figs. 2 and 5) to afixe-d point situated at m at the opposite side of the Vehicle framing.

Rods L fixed on the under-side of the Vehicle framing (Fig. 3),extending with a suitable amount of play in guides i formed in therocking beam I, allow, by reason of their lower heads striking saidguides, of limiting the amount of movement between the rocking beam andthe Vehicle framing. All accidental disengagement between the sphericalbearings J and the rocking beam may be prevented by means of straps Gfixed on the trucks G. z

The rear transverse connection of the l trucks 'one to the other, and ofthe trucksto the Vehicle framing is preferably efl'eCted as follows:

A jointed cross stay composed of two elements Q, R slipped one over theother, is attached by means of one of its elements Q, to One of thetrucks, and by means of the other element R to the other truck. Thejournalling of the element Q upon the element R allows a certainrelative angular displacement of the trucks in their respectivelongitudinal axial planes. A transverse connecting rod N connects theelement Q at q to a point n of the Vehicle framing (Figs. 2 and 5). Inorder that the angles enclosed between the stay Q-R and 'the trucksshall be Capable of slight deformation. the elements Q-R may, asindicated in Fig. 2, be connected to the corresponding truck by means ofa Vertical joint (Q R respectively).

Further, in view of the fact that the angular deformations to beprovided for are very slight, the Vertical joint may be replaced byintermediate flexible plates attached respectively to the truck and thehead of the corresponding stay element, as inl icated at Q in F ig. 5,and at Q?, R in *ign 6.

The connection between the trucks and the Vehicle framing is completedby two longitudinal connecting ro ds O, P which are jointed respectivelyat 0, p, to the corresponding truck, and at 0 p to the Vehicle framing.

In the example shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the invention is shown applied toa Vehicle in which the endless tracks are each provided with two trucksjointed together. In this case, the whole of the front truck and thefront ortion of the rear truck must have a certain amount of Verticalmoblity with relation to the rear portion of the rear truck It will thenbe preferable to complete the suspension by adding a very fiexiblespring S to the front portion of each rear section for instance, each ofthese Springs may be composed of three concentric c-oiled Springs.

The rollers T are (as shown in elevation in' F igs. 1 and 4, and in planin Fig. 5) carried by an arm U-U consisting preferably of two sideplates U suitably stayed to gether, and Carrying the axles t of therollers. This arm s jointed at the rear at T to a fixed point of theVehicle framing; at its other end it is jointed by means of a smallconnecting rod V to a point of the correspondin truck situated as farforward as possible. 3y means of this construction, the top stretch ofthe endless track is ke t straight and practically tangential at t erear to the driving wheel D and at the front to the guide Wheel W,irrespectively of the relative movements between the trucks and theVehicle framing;

What I claim is:

1. In an endless track vehicle, the combination of a main frame, truckswithin the endless tracks and supporting said main frame, a cross-beamhaving ball and socket connections at its ends, with said trucks', and auniversal connection for said cross-beam with said main frame including-a resilient element interposed therebetween.

2. In an endless track vehicle, the combination of a main frame, truckswithin the endless tracks and supporting said main frame, a cross stayconnected with one end of each truck, a rod connecting the opposite endof one truck with a relatively opposite side of said main frame, and aCross-beam universally connected at its ends with said trucks.

3. In an endless track vehicle, the combination of a main frame, truckswithin the 'endless tracks and supporting said main frame, connectionsbetween the main frame and trucks providing for independent rockingmovement of thelatterin Vertical planes,

a Cross-beam having universal connection at its ends with said trucks,and a resilient universal connection between said cross-beam and themain frame.

4. In an endless track Vehicle, the oombination of a main frame, truckswithin the endless tracks and supporting said main frame, connectionsbetween the main fra-me and trucks providing for independent rockingmovement of the latter in Vertical planes, a cross-beam havin universalconnection at its ends with said trucks, and a resilient univer'salconnection between said cross-beam and the main frame comprising aspring interposed therebetween and a rod headed at its ends andextending loosely through the main frame, spring and crossbeam.

5. In an endless track Vehicle, the combination of a main frame, truckswithin the endless tracks and supporting said main frame, pivotalconnections between the main frame and trucks providing for independentrocking movement of the latter in Vertical planes, a. cross-beam havingUniversal connection at its ends with said trucks, and resilientuniversal connections between said cross-beam and main frame, eachconnection comprising a. spring interposed between the main frarne andcross-beam near each end of the latter, and a rod headed at its ends andextending loosely through said frame, spring and crossbeam.

6. In an endless track Vehicle, the combination of a main frame, truckswithin the endless tracks and on which said main frame is supported, across-beam having ball and socket connections at its ends with saidtrucks and resilient universal oonnections between the main frame andsaid cross-beam disposed near the ends of the latter.

-endless tracks, a rocking beam disposed transversely with respect tosaid main frame and ferming a load support, said rocking heam havinguniversal connection at its ends with said trucks, and resilientuniversal, connections for the rocking beam with the main frame eachcomprising a spring interposed between said frame and rocking beam atone side of a medial fore and aft line thereof and a rod extendingthrough said main frame, spring and cross-beem.

9. In an endless track Vehicle, the combination of a main frame, truckswithin the endless tracks and on which said frame is supported, a crossstay, and flexible piates connecting said cross stay with said trucks.

10. In an endless track Vehicle, the Com bination of a main frame,trucks at each side of the main frame and arranged within the endlesstracks, rear Springs of slight flexibility in the longitudinal axis ofthe trucks and providing supports for said main frame, a rocking-beemconnected at its ends with said trucks by universal joints, frontSprings interposed between the rocking-beam and main frame near thelongitudinai axis of the latter, and rods headed at their ends andextending loosely through said main frame, front Springs androcking-beam.

11. In an endless track Vehicle, the combination ofa pair of trucks eacharranged within one endless track, a main frame supported on saidtrucks, a telescopic crossconnection between said trucks, the elementsof said connection having relative movement about their Commonlongitudinal aXis and each of said elements being flexibly connect.- edto one of said trucks, and a. connecting rod between one of saidelements and the main frama.

12. In an'endless track Vehicle, the com bination of a main frame,trucks within the endless tracks and supporting said main frame, across-beam pivoted at its ends to the front ends of the trucks andhaving a rocking connection with the main frame, a cross-beam connectingthe rear ends of said trucks, a transverse rod connecting the front endof on'e truck with the main frame, and a second transverse rodconnect-ing the rear cross-beam with said frame.

13. In an endless track Vehicle, the combination of a main frame, truckswithin the endless tracks and supporting said main frame, a cross stayconnecting the rear ends of said trucks and Comprising coupledcomplementary elements rotatable relatively to each other, a cross-beampivotally connected at its ends with the front ends of said trucks, atransverse rod adjacent to the cross-stay and a transverse rod adjacentto the crossbeam, each of said rods at its opposite ends being pivotallyconnected with one of the trucks and the main frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed this Specification.

EUGNE SCHNEIDER. Witnesses:

ANDR MOSTICKER, Loms GARDET.

